Gone but not forgotten
by thezooqueen
Summary: This is a story based on two characters Mary Sue and Hieronymous Grabiner from the game Magical Diary. Magical Diary is property of Hanako Games and Spiky Caterpillar. This story is fictional and any relationship to real life people...would be really too cool! ** Discontinued Temporally**
1. The Face

Gone but not forgotten

A Mary and Hieronymous Grabiner story

_Chapter 1: The Face_

I woke up briefly forgetting where I was. As I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and looked around, I realized I was back in my old room at home. It was 4:30AM and still dark outside. I was still on my Treasurer time schedule. I grabbed my extra pillow with a sigh and covered my face with it.

'_Go back to sleep! Go back to sleep!_' I yelled in my head.

It didn't help.

I shed my covers and dragged myself out of bed.

The floors were cold considering it was summer now. I slid into my slippers and made my way to the shower to get ready for the new dawn. I stepped into the bathroom I glanced in the mirror before turning on the light.

There I saw two faces staring back at me. One I recognized as my own, and the other...

I quickly flipped on the light.

I was the only one in the room. My heart-felt like it was going to beat its way out of my chest. I used all my senses and cast a spell to see if indeed anyone was or had been in here. I felt nothing. The face had terrified me. Like something out of a horror movie you want to watch but hide your face in a pillow at the last second.

I cringed as I recalled it.

'I think I will take a shower later,' I thought to myself.

I walked out of the bathroom.

Downstairs I could hear the stirrings of my parents.

'Dad must be getting ready to go to work.'

"Hey Dad," I called as I walked down the stairs. The warm glow of the kitchen light encompassed me as I crossed the midpoint of the stairs. The aroma of coffee hit me like a fog and the face melted away from my mind.

Dad looked at me quizzically for a few seconds, cocking his head to the side as realization seemed to come over him.

"….hey, pumpkin. I did not expect you to be up so early. I was just getting ready to head out."

I was used to this sort of reaction from my parents. When I am not in the presence of my parents I seem to slip their mind.

"Is there any coffee left?" I leaned over the counter towards the pot.

"Since when do you drink coffee?" he replied.

"I guess it started with my job as Student Council Treasurer. But my biggest weakness is tea," I said with a grin.

He poured me a cup of steaming java and I took it gratefully and inhaled. I grabbed the sugar and cream and began to pour.

My Dad picked up his lunch and started for the door.

"Oh Pumpkin could you make sure your Mom gets up at 6AM? She has a meeting with her clients today and she is worried she is going to be late because of all the long hours she has put in."

"Sure, no problem."

I took a big sip and felt the warm elixir of morning trickle down my throat.

"Thanks. I will be working late. Chances are Mom will also, so here is $20. Why don't you order a pizza for dinner?"

He opened his wallet and set the money on the dining room table and retrieved his keys hanging on the wall.  
"Bye, hun," he said with a wave and walked out the door.

I stared at the bill.

From the corner of my eye in the window something caught my attention. The face. I was frozen in place. I slowly turned my head towards it but as I blinked it was gone.

My spine felt like ice water had been poured down it.

I sensed the room.

Nothing…

What the heck was going on?

I forced myself to approach the window. I reached out with my hand to touch the glass to find it was freezing. I left a hand print on the cold glass as I pulled away.

I sensed for spirits again.

Still I got nothing.

I drew a ward on the floor and went in the kitchen. My mother always had some sea salt in her pantry. I began lining the floor at the walls with the salt.

For a second I thought I heard something but disregarded it. I was rather jumpy anyways and would have jumped out of my skin on the spot if a bird had so much as chirped.

After going throughout the house with the salt and drawing wards, I felt a little better.

Glancing at my clock I saw it was nearing 6AM so I ran downstairs and replaced the salt.

I went to make another pot of coffee for Mom.

I was glad my parents were going to be gone for the day.

'I will have to protect their room after Mom leaves.'

I knocked on their bedroom door.

"Ugh," was the response I got.

"Mom, the meeting…"

"Uhh... Oh yeah thanks, baby."

I could hear her getting up out of bed.

I walked back to the living room.

Watching the window I wondered what could be messing with me.

I looked to the ward on the floor.

Luckily my Mom would not be able to see it.

'I will have to go out and buy her more salt today,' I thought.

My Mom stepped out of her room with a stack of papers in her mouth as she was pulling on her suit jacket.

I went and grabbed a cup of coffee in a to-go mug for her.

"You are a lifesaver," she smiled big and a few papers dropped to the floor.

I bent to pick them up and helped her place them in her briefcase.

"I will be late so din..." She glanced at the 20 on the table. "I guess Dad told you. Don't get Pizza, there is a new café around the block owned by some nice folks. I helped them out with their license. Why don't you eat there and get a proper meal?"  
She leaned over and kissed me on top of my head.

"I will be busy all week and you know how your Dad gets. I'm sorry, honey. You just got home and we can't even spend time with you. Can you call Tessa and see if you can hang out with her?"

"Yeah, I might do that," Tessa was my best friend before I left for Iris Academy. "Drive safe I will see you later."

"Don't stay up too late, okay sweetie?" Mom said as she stepped out the door.

After I heard her car drive away I went to the kitchen and grabbed the salt. I warded their room and bathroom. An audible sigh left my lips and I went to the living room and sunk down into the couch. Before I knew it I was asleep.

"Grabiner…" A voice dripping with venom whispered in my head. "Grabiner..."

To my horror, the face whispering the words appeared in my mind.

I woke up, surrounded in silence and darkness. My ears are ringing. My head is pounding and my body is aching.

Suddenly I hear whispers all around me. I can't make out what they are saying, but I feel nothing but dread and hate from them. I struggle to try to understand what they are saying to no avail. I go to raise my hand to reach out into void but I cannot move my body. The whispers get louder and louder as I feel like I am beginning to spin.

'I have been here before.' The sudden realization comes over me. Fear wraps me in its claws and my consciousness begins to fade away.

With the last of my strength I use Farspeak and call out.

'Hieronymous!'  
Then all is silent.


	2. The Oubliett

Chapter 2: The Oubliette

Hieronymous awoke drenched in a cold sweat. He had heard her voice and something nagged at his soul. She had screamed out to him with terror in her voice. Her Husband reached out his senses to her, but could not find her.

Leaping out of bed and grabbing his robe, he ran to the basin of water in the corner of his room. He began to scry. Blue and white light filled the bowl of water like fingers reaching out.

"Where are you Mary..." he said aloud.

The liquid became dark. He could feel the evil emanating from the basin. The whispers started softly at first, and then escalated to a roar.

A face appeared in the in the bowl, blurry before coming into focus. It was repulsive. A girl child's face that was long since dead and rotting.

"Grabiner," the face said. He thought he recognized the voice. "She is now mine. This is your punishment."

An image of Mary prone on the floor shackled in magic in the dark filled the water of the bowl. He resisted the urge to reach out to her. There were traces of tears tracking down her face. Seeing her defenseless condition his heart felt like a rock forcing its way into his stomach.

"Mary," he called out to her willing his voice magically through the small window. She did not respond.

"MARY!" he yelled into the basin.

Though he thought she stirred she did not open her eyes.

He summoned a small mirror no bigger than the palm of his hand and imbuing it with all of the power he could muster, he plunged it into the water, praying with the last bit of his energy it would reach her.

The water in the bowl went clear the mirror was gone and he collapsed to the floor.

* * *

There was a knocking sound.

"Professor Grabiner?"

The knocking came again.

"Sir, are you well?"

There was no response.

Padded feet ran away from the door and down the hall.

Later the door opened and a voice called in, "Hieronymous?"

Petunia paused as she looked in and saw him crumpled on the floor. She rushed over to Hieronymous noting a basin of water spilled around him and grasped his shoulders. Petunia gently shook him and when he did not wake she reached out with green magic to see if he was okay. His heartbeat and breathing were slow but steady. His magic was nearly depleted. Her eyes became saucers as she looked back at the bowl. She motioned to the girl at the door to leave. After levitating the unconscious man to his bed and covering him up, she cast Spirit Echoes near the fallen basin.

She frowned at what she saw, she had been hoping to get more answers but she was left with more questions.

Neither medical nor magical intervention needed, she left him to sleep and recuperate.

* * *

The sound of knocking woke Hieronymous and his heavy lids began to open. He quickly sat up but his head spun and he fell back.

"Hieronymous, how are you feeling?"

It was Petunia.

She walked in and sat in a chair at the side of his bed.

He blinked at her.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this disruption? I have a test to give the students today." He asked.

Petunia eyed him wearily.

"Hieronymous, your classes have been canceled for this week."

"Why?" he growled as he looked at her smiling face. "And why are you in my room?"

Determination filled Petunia's face.

"Think Hieronymous," she said, urging him to remember.

"Do you remember what happened to you?"

"What are you talking about?"

A throbbing headache began to form behind his eyes. He tried to sit up again and this time he did so without feeling dizzy but the headache got worse.

"Hieronymous, we found you on the floor. You were not responding and your magic was almost depleted.

He began to rise out of bed.

Petunia pushed him back into bed with ease.

"Hieronymous, you are not going anywhere 'till you tell me what happened."

He was shocked as he realized how weak he was and his brow furrowed in concentration.

"How long have I been in this weakened state?"

"I found you three days ago on the floor.

"What can you remember?"

He blinked at her in confusion.

As she realized he was at a complete loss for explanation, the headmaster looked at him and smiled gently.

"Hieronymous, the basin do you remember what you were doing with the basin?"

Privately, she assumed he was scrying but she could not be sure.

"What about the basin?" he asked.

"You really don't remember what you were doing at all?" she sighed. "When I found you, I used Sprit Echoes and I saw you force an object I could not identify into the bowl."

Curiosity piqued him.

He shook his head, confirming he had no memory of what she was stating.

"I have been out for three days?"

"Well today is day three. It is late afternoon.

* * *

Meanwhile…

My head is still spinning as I open my eyes trying to focus in the darkness with no luck. The frantic whispers still echo all around me.

I felt something on my chest. It was warm. I reached for it but I still felt restrained. I could only move slightly, my head pounding against the assault of the whispers. I was able to shake myself enough to slide the object to my hands. It was some kind of small disc.

'Where did this come from?' I thought.

I clutched the disc and it began to pulse with magic. Blue and white light danced along the surface. The light was so bright it was blinding in the void.

The disc felt oddly familiar; though I was sure I had never held such a thing.

"Hello… anyone? Answer me!"

Squeezing the disc, my pulse began to quicken as I felt tremendous power vibrating beneath the tips of my fingers.

Magic crackled to life and flowed from the it into my body. Enormous pressure began to build around me causing tears to form in my eyes. The power emanating from the disc overwhelmed my senses.

"Hieronymous…." was all I could manage before I felt my body give way to sleep.

* * *

At the same time...

The basin began to glow in blues and whites.

Hieronymous lurched up and Petunia twisted around both of them aware of the power entering the room. A voice, almost a small cry really, left the bowl. They heard Mary call out his name.

"Mary," with a rush of adrenaline he jumped out of bed and ran to the basin. Nothing else came from the bowl. The last of the magic was gone and there was nothing there.

Hieronymous turned to face Petunia, both of their eyes glazed over for a moment.

"I feel recovered enough to resume my classes tomorrow," he said slowly, the adrenaline wearing off and leaving him tired.

"Why did you run to the bowl?" she asked. She approached it and looked into its depth and saw nothing.

Moments passed.

Petunia asked herself, 'Why am I staring at this bowl?'

Unable to remember, she dropped the line of thought and looked at Hieronymous.

"Okay, if you are sure you can manage I will approve you resuming your duties."

Something nagged at his mind. He had a feeling he was forgetting something, and felt a sense of emptiness, but let it pass. Becoming very aware of how hungry he was, he dismissed Petunia and began dressing for the dining room.

The next day, while walking to his class, he passed by a young girl from Horse Hall.

Without blinking, she turned to him and said, "She needs your help."

Hieronymous stopped her, grabbing her by the arm.

"What?!" he demanded.

Startled, the girl looked up at him.

"I said g-good morning, Professor Grabiner," she stuttered.

He shook his head trying to remember what the frightened student had done to disturb him so.

Slowly, he looked down and noticed he was holding a student by the arm.

He then released frightened child and she gratefully darted away from him.

Touching his fingers to his brow, he shook off a feeling of confusion and headed to class.

Briskly entering the room he went to the board and wrote several questions. He pointed to the first one.

"Do any of you care to answer this question or am I wasting my time? He paused. "You there, answer this for me."

The girl from Butterfly Hall looked up.

"If you do not help her, she will die."

"What did you say?!" he said, panic reaching his voice.

"Professor, I said I would use blue and white magic to make it into a location spell," the girl stammered, now unsure of her answer.

"Um...Yes, that is correct… Class, I will leave you to self study for the remainder of the period." He grabbed his book and made his way toward the door. He knew something was wrong now. He could feel it. However, as soon as he stepped out of the room, he could not recall his purpose for leaving.

"Bloody hell," he muttered, as he headed for his quarters.

Opening his door he crossed the room. He was on edge and did not know why.

He grabbed a book from a shelf and began to read. His head began to throb. He could not focus on the book. Frustrated, he went to his desk and pulled out some parchment. Taking a quill, he began to write in a state of discomposure.

After a few minutes, he began to come to his senses and looked at what he had written. It was a letter to Mary.

_Mary,_

_I hope this finds you in good health._

_Though you did well in your academics here; do not let yourself be idle and sabotage all the hard work you have done._

_The students here do not appear to want to learn anything. I will be lucky if more than half complete the summer session._

_How are you getting on with your parents? I recall you having trouble during spring break. Perhaps I must insist to the board that Wild Seeds remain at the school during their formative years. Do not hesitate if you feel the need to return to school._

_I will send you some materials to review before Fall Session resumes in September._

_Do try and stay out of trouble._

_I will find you,_

_~Hieronymous_

He reread the closing.

'What? Why did I write that?' he thought to himself, looking over the paper.

Picking it up from the corner, he held it as though it would bite him. Dropping the missive, he walked over to the scrying bowl and stared into it. Realizing he still did not have the energy to look for Mary, he headed out of his room to speak to Petunia.

Although she would be teaching class at this hour, he had a feeling she would not mind the disturbance.

Nearing her class door, he felt a chill run down his spine. After a brief hesitation, he knocked once then opened the door.

"Miss Potsdam, may I have a word with you, please?"

Before waiting for her reply, he closed the door and waited expectantly in the hall.

After a few moments, Petunia appeared and stepped out into the hall, shutting the door behind her.

"Yes, Hieronymous, is everything alright?"

Her fluffy hat drifted to the side as she tilted her head in question.

"Mary is in trouble," he replied simply.

Petunia looked at him.

Feeling a sudden sense of urgency, she took him by the arm and headed to her office.

The aging teacher sat down behind her desk and gestured him to sit across.

"I can't explain what, but I know something is wrong and I am still too weak to scry her."

From behind her desk, she pulled out a crystal ball and placed it on a small stand.

"I have always loved the classics," she said, smiling faintly.

More intent on solving the problem at hand, the cliché was lost on him. He sat there staring intensely at nothing while rubbing his thumb and index finger together.

She began to weave her spell over the sphere and it crackled with blue and white energy.

"Let's see how our Mary is doing, shall we?"


	3. Forget me not

Chapter 3: Forget me not

An image of Mary's house appeared in Petunia's crystal ball. It was an urban neighborhood that seemed to give you the impression of backyard barbecues, apple pies and picnics. She focused on the inside of Mary's house and got an entirely different impression. The first thing she noticed was the wards drawn all over the house.

Petunia glanced up at Hieronymous.

The look in his eyes reflected her own feelings.

"She was trying to either keep something from getting out of her house or something from coming in."

Hieronymous pointed out the salt along the edges of the room.

"It appears that she was trying to purify the house."

He sat up straighter in his chair and placed his palms on the desk searching the ball for more information.

"Where is she?" he wondered aloud.

At that moment a woman, presumably her mother entered the room and walked to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water. She paused a moment and scratched the back of her neck as she looked around.

"She can sense us watching her. Perhaps magic does run in her family," Petunia said.

Potsdam focused on the crystal ball, making a thorough search of the house.

"Well, Mary is not in the house. I will try and focus on her directly."

The image of the house began to shift and faded away. The crystal grew dark and ominous. Whispered chanting filled Petunia's office and energy seeped out of the ball causing the lights to flicker. An image appeared of Mary on the floor clutching something.

"Hieronymous, get a pad of paper from my drawer, now. Hurry!"

Without question he did as she requested and grabbed a quill without being asked.

On the edge of panic, he ran his fingers through his hair causing his hat to fall to the floor.

He wanted to call out to her, to see her stir and know she was alive.

"What's happening? Why is she laying there?"

"Mary is in an oubliette. Hurry and write it down, lest we forget."

He began scribbling it on the pad.

An oubliette, he reflected, was a place which caused the world to forget its occupant. A deeper guilt hit him as he recalled threatening similar treatment to her just earlier this year.

"I will try and get a fix on her location."

Petunia was beginning to show signs of strain.

"Otherworld… Near the Valley of Night…"

Hieronymous' eyes became wide with trepidation and he quickly wrote it down.

The crystal became clear again.

He released the breath he had not realized he had been holding until now.

Both of their eyes glazed over.

Petunia looked up at Hieronymous, "So, what did you need to talk with me about?"

For a moment he did not have the slightest idea why he was in her office.

He glanced down at the notes on the pad in front of him.

He showed her the pad of paper.

The Headmistress gasped as she saw what was written.

"Gracious me! The lamb is in the Otherwold. And in an oubliette, no less."

She made a second copy of the note with the addition of more information for herself. She then added a few words to his paper.

"I will prepare something for you. Go get your things ready to leave."

She handed the note back to him. Added to the bottom of it were the words do not let this note leave your hands until you return to Petunia.

He grabbed it and went for the door. He had a look of failure on his face.

"Hieronymous, You did not do anything wrong. She is not Viol-"

He cut her off.

"I know. She is diff... Right now she is defenseless and I could forget her at any moment."

He turned back to her.

"I will not let her die," he said, then swiftly left the room.

Petunia got up from her desk clutching the paper in hand and headed to her room.

Once in her room, she approached her dresser.

Petunia pulled out the top drawer and reached in the back, from which she produced a black box. She opened the box, revealing a pendant made of amber and amethyst. Chanting softly, she waved a hand casting a spell over the gem encrusted medallion.

Finally, she went to a cabinet, bringing forth a few potions.

Hieronymous was returning, paper in hand, with a small bag he tucked beneath his cloak.

"Do you have everything you need?"

He nodded.

"I believe so."

"I would like you to wear this. It will help keep her, and her predicament, in your memories."

She placed the amulet around his neck.

"Take these potions, also. They will help you recover your energy quicker. Drink one now and drink the second no earlier than twenty-four hours. Remember time moves differently there."

Hieronymous took the phials and promptly drank one. Handing the bottle back to her with a nod of thanks, he looked at the paper again.

"I have to go now. Thank you for your help."

Petunia gave a gentle smile, "Bring her home safe to us."

She reassuringly placed her hand on his shoulder.

He stiffened momentarily, and then felt himself relax. Never knowing who his mother was; he was not sure how to react to her motherly kindness. He gave a weak smile walked away.

Hieronymous entered one of the schools many gardens. He checked to see if anyone was around, and he teleported away.

Where he arrived was another small garden.

The garden was walled all around, the vegetation long overgrown, but still alive. There was a fountain in the middle. The fountain was what was most striking about the garden. He recalled Violet's expression when he had first showed it to her.

The memories came flooding back to him.

"_It's beautiful!"_

_Violet walked over to it and sat on the edge. All he could do was smile at her. The __fountain's waters__ glowed in vibrant colors._

"_This fountain is nothing. You have to see the other side. Otherworld makes this place pale in __comparison,"__ Hieronymous smiled at her._

_As they both conversed and laughed, _the memories faded away like echoes in time.

A feeling of renewed dread came over him.

He would have to go back there.

This time Mary's life was in danger.

He knew he would have to wait until the moon shown into the fountain to go, then the portal would open.

Having a few hours to kill he wandered the garden. He came across a tree bearing fruit and grabbed some oranges, putting them in his bag. The fruit of the garden was said to grant extra strength in the Otherworld.

'How did Mary get to the Otherworld? Surely, she would not have gone by herself. Even she is not so foolish and irresponsible. Which means someone, or something, had to have taken her there.'

He peeled and ate one of the oranges. He felt immediately better as well as stronger.

"Nightfall will be here shortly," he though aloud.

He forced himself to take a nap, knowing he had to be 100% when he was over there. He had not dared enter the Otherworld since Violet's death. He was very much aware of the dangers there in. Though he was past the age of youth, the time where his soul would be most tempting, he knew he could not let his guard down.

He awoke from his doze to crickets chirping.

He looked up in the sky and saw the moon and cast his gaze to the fountain. The portal was beginning to open. It would be daytime in the Otherworld about now. It was too dangerous to travel there at night, so the portal was timed to open at this hour. He pulled out a ring and placed it on is finger. The ring had a faint glow to it. The nearer he came to the portal the brighter the glow became. Feeling securely warded he stepped into the water. The water only reached his knees, but no sooner had he entered then he was drawn underwater. Briefly feeling like he was going to drown, he held his breath as he swam towards the surface. Darkness gave way to sunlight. He was there.

He broke from the water inhaling deeply. He was in a bay. He swam to shore. Taking a moment to get his bearings, he noted the crystal clear turquoise color of the water and the trees around. The beach itself was made of crystal. In a myriad of colors it seemed he was walking in a rainbow. Reaching down, he picked up a blue shard. It was exquisite. Hieronymous let the blue shard drop back to the beach.

He appeared to be in the Bay of Pandora.


End file.
